Chrysanthemum plant named &#39;lipsi&#39;

ABSTRACT

A  chrysanthemum  plant named ‘Lipsi’ characterized by its medium sized blooms with salmon ray florets and prolific branching; natural season flower date August 23-30; blooming for a period of 5 weeks.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

‘Lipsi’ is a product of a breeding and selection program for outdoor potmums (garden mums) which had the objective of creating new chrysanthemumcultivars with a decorative type flower, a natural season flower datearound August 23-30; blooming for a period of 5 weeks. The new plant ofthe present invention comprises a new and distinct cultivar ofchrysanthemum plant ‘Lipsi’ is a seedling resulting from a crossingprogram, set up by a previous breeder, and which records are unknown tothe inventor. The new and distinct cultivar was discovered and selectedas a flowering plant by Mark Roland Boeder on a cultivated field inRijsenhout, The Netherlands in 2001. The first act of asexual productionof ‘Lipsi’ was accomplished when vegetative cuttings were taken from theinitial selection in 2001 in a controlled environment in Rijsenhout, TheNetherlands, and propagated further at this location. The new cultivarhas been found to retain its distinctive characteristics throughsuccessive propagations.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The present invention of a new and distinct variety of chrysanthemum isshown in the accompanying drawings, the color being as nearly true aspossible with color photographs of this type.

FIG. 1 shows a plant of the cultivar in full bloom.

FIG. 2 shows the various stages of bloom of the new cultivar.

FIG. 3 shows the foliage of the new cultivar.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

This new variety of chrysanthemum is of the botanical classificationChrysanthemum morifolium L. The observations and measurements weregathered from plants grown out door in Rijsenhout, The Netherlands undernatural day length and temperature and planted week 24 in 2004. Thenatural blooming date of this crop was August 23-30 (week 35). Theaverage height of the plants was 25 cm. No growth retardants were used.No tests were done on disease or insect resistance or susceptibility. Notests were done on cold or drought tolerance. This new variety producesmedium sized blooms with salmon ray florets blooming for a period of 5weeks.

From the cultivars known to inventor the most similar existing cultivarin comparison to ‘Lipsi’ is ‘Stella’ (U.S. Plant Patent pending). When‘Stella’ and ‘Lipsi’ are being compared the following differences arenoticed: The differences of ‘Stella’ and ‘Lipsi’ are (1) Colorray-florets. The flowers of ‘Stella’ are more salmon colored than thoseof ‘Lipsi’, which have an orange hue in its soft colored florets. (2)Width ray-florets. The ray-florets of ‘Stella’ are wider than those of‘Lipsi’. (3) Natural blooming date. Under natural conditions, ‘Lipsi’flowers earlier than ‘Stella’.

The following is a description of the plant and characteristics thatdistinguish ‘Lipsi’ as a new and distinct variety. The colordesignations are taken from the plant itself Accordingly, anydiscrepancies between the color designations and the colors depicted inthe photographs are due to photographic tolerances. The color chart usedin this description is: The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart,edition 1995. TABLE 1 Botanical Description of chrysanthemum plant‘LIPSI’ Bud Size Small; cross-section 0.5 cm, height 0.7 cm OutsideColor Yellow-green 145C Involucral bracts 2 rows, length 7 mm, width 3mm Involucral bracts Not present among disc-florets Involucral bractsGreen 138A color Bloom Type Decorative Height 1.5 cm Size Medium FullyExpanded 5.5 cm Peduncle length 9-12 cm Peduncle color Yellow-green 146CNumber of Approx. 5-6 blooms per branch blooms per branch Performance on5 weeks the plant Seeds Produced in small quantities, ovate grey-brown199A, 1½ mm in length. Fragrance Typical chrysanthemum, slightly ColorCenter of the flower Immature Greyed-yellow 162C Mature Yellow-orange23C Color of upper Greyed-orange 174D to Orange 24D surface of the ray-florets Color of the lower Greyed-orange 163D at base blending toGreyed- surface of the orange 173D at tip ray-florets Tonality from Agarden mum with salmon flowers Distance Discoloration Greyed-orange 164Dto Greyed-orange 173D to color Ray florets Texture Upper and under sidesmooth Number 160-180 Cross-section Flat Longitudinal axis Straight ofmajority Length of 0.3 cm corolla tube Ray-floret margin EntireRay-floret length 2.5 cm Ray-floret width 0.4 cm Ratio length/ Highwidth Shape of tip Pointed Disc florets Disc diameter 0.3-0.4 cmDistribution of Few, only visible in mature stage disc florets ShapeTubular Color Yellow 11D at base to Yellow-orange 23C at top Receptacleshape Conical raised Reproductive Organs Stamen Present in disc floretsonly Stamen color Yellow-green 144A Pollen Present Pollen color Yellow7A Styles Thick Style color Yellow 13A Style Length 0.4 cm Stigma colorYellow-green 144A Stigma Width 1 mm Ovaries Enclosed in calyx Plant FormGrown as a spray type potmum, outdoor mounded and round Growth habitSpherical shape Growth rate Medium Height 25 cm Width 35 cm Stem ColorGreyed-brown 199C Stem Strength Strong Stem Brittleness Not brittle StemAnthocyanin Absent Coloration Internode length 3-4 cm Length of From topto bottom 18 cm lateral branch Lateral branch Yellow-green 146D colorLateral branch, Medium strength attachment Branching (average Good with6-8 breaks after pinching number of lateral branches) Natural seasonAugust 23-30 blooming date Foliage Leaf color Upper side Green 139ALower side Green 138A Color midvein Upper side Yellow-green 148D Lowerside Yellow-green 147D Size Small.; length 4.5-6 cm, width 2-3.5 cmQuantity (number 15 per lateral branch) Shape Elliptic Texture upperside Glabrous Texture under side Pubescent Venation arrangement PalmateShape of the margin Serrated Shape of Base of Rounded Sinus BetweenLateral Lobes Margin of Sinus Diverging Between Lateral Lobes Shape ofBase Acute Apex Mucronulate Petiole length 1-2 cm Petiole colorYellow-green 148D

TABLE 2 Differences with the comparison varieties ‘Lipsi’ ‘Stella’ Colorupper surface Greyed-orange 174D Orange 29C ray-florets to Orange 24DWidth ray-florets 0.4 cm 0.7 cm Start blooming date Week 35 Week 38-39(planted in week 24)

1. A new and distinct variety of chrysanthemum plant as described andillustrated.